A happy ending
by seanthesheep356
Summary: This is the happy ending for Bruno and Shmuel. (Obviously I mean they live.) Enjoy!


_Gretel's POV_

"Can I just play on the swing? One more time?" Bruno asks innocently. My mother sighs and nods, then he scurries out the door.

Lately he's been "exploring" though I know there's more to it. I have to find out what it is, so I'm going with him.

I follow him silently and unnoticed out the back gate as he scurries off into the forest. He doesn't notice me as we run, and he pulls out a huge sandwich from his bag. Wow, so that's why our bread keeps randomly disappearing from our kitchen.

We get to the outskirts of the concentration camp, and I feel myself go pale. A small boy runs up from inside, and I cup a hand over my mouth.

"I thought you said you'd bring the pajamas." Bruno says, then the boy moves the collar of his clothes to find similar ones underneath them. Bruno nods, and begins to lift up the wool vest he's wearing, and I know exactly where this is going. Unfortunately I heard my parents talking about what these camps are really for, and my brother will not come out alive if he goes in. Now I realize everything the Nazis are doing that's supposed to be "better for Germany" and whatnot is just a load of complete BS.

"We'll find your dad for sure." he says as he then begins to loosen his tie, then I feel myself run from the side of the tree screaming "Bruno! Bruno don't!"

He whirls around, and I slap the clothes out of his hands and toss them on the ground, then see the shovel on the ground by his feet.

"Gretel what are you doing?!" he says shocked, and I felt a menacing look come to my face.

"May I ask what you're doing?"

"I was just going to help my friend find his dad."

I turned to his friend in behind the charged barbed wire, who looked frightened and much to young to go through what he's been put through. And the poor little boy had a black eye. I could tell he was Bruno's age, and I greatly pitied him.

I sighed realizing Bruno was nieve and had no idea what this place really was.

"You say you can't find your dad?" I asked, and the boy shook his head no. Even he doesn't know what the point of these camps were for, he just thinks they're for labor.

"You don't know what really goes on here do you?" He shrugged then shook his head no.

I sighed knowing I'd have to tell them, otherwise they'd make a fatal mistake.

"The people who go missing," I said trying not to stutter. "They... they don't come back. This was part of Hitler's plan. These camps are no labor camps, they are-" I paused not knowing a good way to deliver it.

"They are places for execution. A literal 'death farm'."

Bruno and the boy both stared in shock, and I saw the boy look down at the ground with such a saddening look that I almost burst into a fit of sobs right then and there.

"And that's why you can't go in Bruno, you won't come out."

He looked at his friend, and they both held out their hands through the fence and joined hands for a moment. I looked down feeling guilty, then saw a white fabric poking out from Bruno's bag.

"Bruno, what's that?" I said pointing to it.

"Mom said we should have an extra set of clothes in case it's cold."

"Give them to him." I said nodding to the boy. They looked confused but Bruno obediently obeyed and passed them to the boy.

"What's your name?" I asked the boy.

"Shmuel."

"Shmuel, do you have family in Berlin. That haven't been deported. Or friends?" He nodded and I perked up, then said excitedly "We're passing through Berlin, mom would let him ride with us in a heartbeat. Anyone to keep you company Bruno..."

He nodded excitedly and I felt a grin pass across my lips then said "Shmuel you change, and I'll be right back. I'm going to tell mom your friend needs a ride. And she's heard about you Shmuel, she just doesn't know you're here. You're a normal boy, okay? You have no idea this is here, or anything. You are Catholic if she asks. Dad won't be in the car so you won't have to worry. We're getting you out, okay?"

He nodded and said "Thank you." with the most precious smile I've ever seen, and I said "By the way, I'm Gretel. And I'll be right back. Dig into the ground, then you change Shmuel after you're out. I don't want those clothes getting dirty."

The boy nodded with a huge smile and I took off running to our house, and found my mother in the kitchen offering to carry her coat to make sure she'd be in an extra good mood.

"Mom, is it okay if we could please give Bruno's friend a ride to Berlin?"

"Is this the nice boy Bruno always talks about?"

"Yes mother, it is indeed. And I just met him; he's wonderful."

"Alright."

"Thank you! I'll be right back." I squealed then took off running back to the forest to find Shmuel on the other side of the fence in Bruno's clothes, and Shmuel's working clothes from the camp inside the fence.

"Bury those clothes. We don't want anyone seeing them. But bury them very carefully."

The boys nodded, then Shmuel put them in the ground gently, and Bruno shoveled soil on top of it until it was gone, and there was no evidence left.

"Mom said it's fine, so let's go before someone sees us. And please pardon any Swastikas you may see Shmuel. Know that Bruno, my mother, and I are not in favor of these camps."

The boy nodded again and we moved swiftly through the forest, then walked into the backyard. I heard footsteps, then grabbed one of Bruno's balls and hissed "We're playing catch, okay?"

They nodded and we tossed it between us, then my mother came with her purse in her folded arms seeing us playing.

"So you're Bruno's friend? I'm his mother."

Shmuel nods saying "I'm Shmuel. Thank you very much for driving me."

"Oh your welcome. Come on let's go, the car's waiting."

Bruno held his ball and his bright blue eyes lit up with happiness as we walked to the car, then we climbed in, with Bruno in the middle of us.

As soon as the doors were shut, we began to drive away. I sighed with relief, and could see the gates of the concentration camp through the trees, and shuddered. We'll never see it again.

* * *

_1 year after their departure_

We ended up back in Berlin, and have lived a relatively normal life. Shmuel has been living with his Aunt and Uncle, who aren't Jewish, so he passes as an Aryan boy letting his once extremely short blonde hair grow out a little. Shmuel often visits, at least once every week, which of course makes Bruno the happiest boy on the planet.

And I feel good, knowing I saved both of their lives. Seeing them run around my house just makes my day. Those two are inseparable, and I know that will never change. And I'm glad.

**The end**


End file.
